In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Michele Morris tells us why consumers are going offline and how her team is meeting that challenge head-on. Consumers today are more connected than ever through smartphones and social media platforms, but they’re also starting to crave that IRL connection. This contradiction is driving a renewed interest in in-person experiences - meeting with friends at actual restaurants instead of ordering in, for example. For marketers, this presents an opportunity to rethink how they show up - not just digitally, but physically. Experiences that can bring people together are becoming a key differentiator in building lasting relationships and brand loyalty.

At the same time, the conversation highlights a practical challenge: even as people crave connection, it can still be difficult to bring them together. In the episode, Michele mentions that COVID-induced social anxiety has shifted the way people interact with each other, and now people want to return to what normal looked like before COVID. People want to go out in theory, but it still feels like a hurdle in the moment. This makes it even more important for brands to create experiences that feel truly valuable - something worth showing up for.

We’re living in strange times, and besides this transition period in consumer behavior, Michele also stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Success in today’s environment is not about having all the answers, but about surrounding yourself with people who bring diverse perspectives, deeper expertise, and a willingness to collaborate. As consumer trends continue to evolve, staying open, asking questions, and learning from others becomes a key driver of growth. So if you’re working on building your network - be nice, be useful, and do your research.

Tune into Michele's episode to hear more tips on networking and how to keep up with consumer trends in this week’s episode.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Michele Morris, VP of Marketing at Big Green Egg

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Human Connection Is Becoming a Differentiator

While digital experiences continue to dominate, there’s a growing desire for real, in-person connection. Consumers are seeking moments that feel tangible. Brands that create opportunities for people to come together—through events, experiences, or community—have an advantage in building deeper relationships with their audiences.

Surround Yourself With People Who Elevate You

Success today is less about having all the answers and more about building the right team of people who do have all the answers. Today’s marketing leaders need to prioritize surrounding themselves with people who bring diverse perspectives and fresh thinking. The ability to collaborate with people who challenge and expand your viewpoint is a major competitive advantage.

Value and Trust Are the Foundation of Relationships

Strong professional relationships are built on trust, consistency, and genuine value. Whether internally or externally, people want to work with those who are thoughtful in how they show up. Building a strong network isn’t about how many people you have on your team; it’s about the meaningful connections you can lean on when the time is right.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Anne Mejia discusses how she strengthens her agency relationships and how a single phone call can make client/agency communication a whole lot simpler.

Modern marketing leaders need to balance innovation and brand integrity in an increasingly changing online landscape. There is a time and place for everything, including AI. Anne stresses that marketing leaders should not treat AI like the shiny new thing on the scene. If it doesn’t work for your brand, it could hurt it in the long run. Tools and technologies should be used to evolve; the most effective strategies are still grounded in customer understanding and seamless agency collaborations.

Seamless agency collaborations can only be possible when there’s a certain level of mutual respect. Good marketing is not created in a vacuum, and neither are strong cross-collaborations between departments. The strongest partnerships are created when each team recognizes the expertise the other brings to the table. When that respect is there, collaboration becomes more productive, decisions become more aligned, and outcomes improve across the organization.

Anne also shares her experiences hiring an amazing agency and how a single phone call can make client/agency relationships a whole lot simpler. When working with YouShouldTalkTo, there was an amazing agency that seemed to drop the ball in the last interview. But thanks to one phone call in the middle of the workday, and some advice from our host Daniel, they were ready to work together. Sometimes, the formality of the hiring process can get in the way of great collaboration, so don’t be afraid to pick up that phone!

Tune into Anne's episode to hear her thoughts on how to use AI and how to have seamless collaborations with agencies in this week’s episode.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Anne Mejia, CMO at Cornerstone Franchise Brands / First Light Home Care

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Frontline Insights Are a Competitive Advantage

Data can tell you what is happening, but people on the ground can tell you why. Tapping into franchisees, field teams, or customer-facing employees provides real-time, nuanced insights that research alone often misses. These perspectives can help marketers make the smart decisions they need to stay ahead of the game. The more connected marketing is to frontline feedback, the more effective and relevant it becomes.

Evolve Your Brand With Intention

Change is necessary, but it should never feel random. The most successful brands evolve thoughtfully. Instead of reacting to trends, effective marketers adapt where needed while maintaining consistency. This balance helps brands stay relevant without losing the trust they’ve built over time.

Seamless Execution Sets Great Agency Partners Apart

Creative ideas are important, but execution is where value is delivered between agencies and clients. Especially in production environments, success depends on managing countless tiny details behind the scenes. The best agency partners bring structure, organization, and clarity to complex processes, making everything feel effortless for the client.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Eric Tessel shares the worst cold calls he’s ever gotten on LinkedIn and the huge shift he’s seeing as everyone seems to be returning back to basics.

There is still a level of professionalism and balance that has to be recognized when reaching out to potential clients. While standing out is important, there is a fine line between being memorable and appearing unprofessional. The worst thing you can be is cringe. Creative outreach can be effective, but when it becomes overly gimmicky, it can damage your credibility. In most cases, straightforward communication and clear value propositions resonate better with potential partners.

Eric also talked about how the role of a marketer is evolving and how you can get that promotion faster if you loop the finance department into your work. While many marketing professionals enter the field driven by creativity and a passion for connecting with customers, long-term success often requires developing a strong understanding of financial performance. As marketers advance in their careers, the ability to communicate effectively with finance teams becomes increasingly important. Understanding profitability, revenue drivers, and financial priorities allows marketers to translate their work into outcomes that resonate with executive leadership.

There's also the growing fatigue around generic agency messaging. In a crowded marketplace, decision-makers are increasingly skeptical of templated language and buzzwords. It’s not personal enough to turn anyone’s heads, and when everyone is saying the same thing, marketing leaders only see a lack of options. Instead of relying on broad claims about partnership and collaboration, agencies that stand out focus on authentic conversations and meaningful engagement. Building trust through genuine dialogue and thoughtful introductions, like those from YouShouldTalkTo, often creates stronger opportunities to collaborate.

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Marketing Leaders Should Speak the Language of Finance

One of the most important shifts in a marketer’s career happens when they begin connecting their work to financial outcomes. Early roles often focus on creativity, messaging, and campaign execution, but advancement requires a deeper understanding of how marketing impacts revenue, profitability, and long-term business growth. When marketers can communicate effectively with finance teams, they elevate their influence within the organization. This will help bridge the gap between creative strategy and business impact.

Authentic Conversations Beat Generic Messaging

In a crowded agency landscape, decision-makers are getting more and more frustrated with templated messaging and generic positioning statements. Every agency is giving every potential client the whole ‘we don’t have clients, we have partners’ speech and marketing leaders are catching on. What stands out today is authenticity. Real conversations, thoughtful introductions, and meaningful connections carry far more weight than polished marketing copy.

Standing Out Should Never Sacrifice Professionalism

Creativity is a powerful tool in marketing, but it has to have a certain level of professionalism to it, too. Agencies that try too hard to be memorable or unconventional can sometimes cross the line into tactics that feel awkward or unprofessional to decision-makers. Don’t be cringe. Clear communication, thoughtful messaging, and professional tone create stronger impressions than cringey gimmicks.